Molding press



W. H. THOMPSO N MOLDING PRESS Filed Mar h 25, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 //Y Vf N 70/? 14 1". H. THO/1P5 my 5 y W a Feb. 10. 1925.

W. H. THOMPSON Q MOLDING PRESS w. H. THOMPSON MOLDING PRESS Filed Mar h 25, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 wvvfw T0? W5 H. THOMPLSONJ which the articles may be molded and dried Patented Feb. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,525,629 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. THOMPSON, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB 0F ONE-HALF TO LEON EOMMEL, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

MOLDING PRESS.

Application flied larch 25, 1922. Serial No. 548,678.

To all whom it may cmwcrn:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. THOMP- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Berkeley, county of Alameda, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Molding Press, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to a multiple molding press in whichthe articles are pressed into shape between sets of dies and subjected to a baking action while held between the dies.

An object of the invention is to provide a molding prew of the character described in by causing the dies to move in a circular path within a baking oven.

Another object of the invention is to rovide a molding and baking press in w ich the heat may be applied to the molded articles in such direct manner that aminimum application of heat will suffice to quickly bake the article hard and dry.

A further object of the invention is to provide a press in which a multiplicit of sets of dies may be resiliently pr together with a single spri A still further object o the invention is to provide a press of the character described which will permit of its ready assembly or disassembly.

The invention possemes other objects and it features of advanta some of which, with the foregoing, will set forth in the following descnption of the referred form of my invention which is i ustrated in -the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said drawings and descri tion, as I ma adopt variations of the pre erred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of the press.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the press. I

Figure 4 is aview similar to Figure 3 with the top plate and dies removed.

Briefly expressed the press as here shown comprises a shaft having mounted thereon a rotatable carrier on which is supported a plurality of dies. The dies travel withm and a1 ow the molded article to be removed.

A ressure member is provided for pressing an holding the dies together, and a single spring is utilized for affording a resilient engagement between said presure member and the dies. The front side of the oven is provided with an opening, and means are provided for causing the dies to separate when they as said 0 ning, thus enabling the remova 'of the finished articles and the refilling of the dies. The presune member as well as'the oven are mountedon a. detachable section of the main shaft so that they may be readil removed when necessary.

' A detailed escription follows:

.The press comprises. a suitable frame 5 which sup orts a fixed vertical shaft or stud 6. eyed or otherwise secured to a sleeve 7 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft, is a carrier 8 having a depending flange 9 adapted to rest on an annular ball race 10 provided adjacent the outer edge of shaft 14 carrying the gear 12 is driven by a motor 16 through the intervention of one or more sets of worm gears 17 18, 19 and 20.

Supported on the carrier above the flange 9 are a plurality of dies arranged in sets 22. Each set comprises a stationary member 23 and a relatively movable member 24, the latter being preferably the male and the former the female. The dies are fixed to the carrier by means of guide studs 25, the upper or movable die 24 being sli'dably mounted thereon for vertical displacement toward and from the stationary or lower die 23. The upper dies 24 are respectively pressed downward and elevated by means of a compression rail 26 and a lifting rail 27, both of which are adapted to be held in fixed position when the carrier and. the dies pressthe material into proper shape a rotate. Mounted on an extension or sepadapted to hear when downward pressure is to be exerted on the dies. force for pressing the dies holding them tightly closed The necessary together and is afforded through the medium of a single spring 34 which encircles the section 28 and tends to ress the spider against the collar 32, a liand wheel 36 secured to the section 28 serving to receive the thrust of the spring at its u per end. It will be understood that rotation of the hand wheel will cause the threaded portion 30 to move forward or backward in the socket, thereby enabling the adjustment of the pressure exerted upon the dies. Each of the dies 24 is also provided with a pair of rollers 37 which are adapted to rest upon and ride over the lifting rail 27 when the pressure roller is disengaged from the rail 26. The rail 27 is preferably positioned at the front of the press so. that as the upper die is elevated or separated from the lower, an operator may conveniently remove the molded article and refill the die for another operation.

Preferably supported on the spider is a baking oven 38 provided with an annular heating chamber 39' in which the dies are adapted to travel during the rotation of the carrier. The sides and top of the chamber 39 are preferably complete y enclosed except for the side opening-41 at the front, which allows. the operator access to the dies, it being remembered that the dies are intheir sefparated open position at this ortion o the press. The bottom of the eating chamber is provided with an opening 42 which may extend completely around the chamber. Supported onthe frame. and underlying the opening 42 is a gas-burner 43 comprising a cylindrical pipe 44 provided with a plurality of nozzles 46 which are adapted to direct the flame through the opening 42 directly into the chamber and against the dies. It will thus be clear that a most direct application of the heat is made, and a thorough baking of the molded article will be speedily efi'ected. The burnt gas may exit through the outlet-pipe 47 which is provided with a suitable damper 48.

It will be noted that the construction herein provided for enables the press to be readily assembled or disassembled. By simply rotating the wheel until the section 28 3 The operation of the press is as follows Owing to the use of the worm gears the speed of rotation of the carrier is comparativel slow. Thisenable the operator who is adiipted' to be stationed at the oven opening, to fill the female or lower die with the molding material without stopping the machine. The real: in its present embodiment is particular y adapted for forming molded articles of pounds which contain starch or other binding medium, and the material when placed in the dies is referably in a semi-solid state. When said die has been filled and commences to leave the o ening the rollers 37 ride down on the inc ined face of the lifting rail whereby the upper die which is associated with. said female die is allowed to gradually descend. As soon as the rollers 37 become disengaged from the lifting rail, the roller 33 moves under the compression rail and the two dies are thence held together by the force of the spring 34. The dies are thus held until the roller 33 moves from under the compression rail at which time the moldin material will have set and have become ba ed dry and hard. When the roller 33 leaves the compression rail, the

rollers 37 'once again mount the liftin rail and the dies are gradually separa and enter the oven opening. The 0 erator may then remove the finished article from the die and then refill the latter with the raw material. r

I claim:

'1. In a molding machine, a shaft, 2. r0.

a plurality of dies supported on said carrier, a se ental die-compressing member movable ongitudinally relative to said shaft and adapted to be eng ed by said dies during the rotation of sa i carrier, and a sprin mounted centrally of said member adapte to hold said member with said dies, and means for varying the pressure between said member and said dies. 2. In a molding machine, a shaft, a carrier mounted for rotation on said shaft, a

tatable carrier mounted about said shaft,

plurality of dies su ported on said carrier,

an extension remova ly secured to said shaft by screw-thread engagement, a segmental die-compressing member carried on said extension, and a spring encircling said shat-ft disengaged from the frame socket, the including the oven,

papier-mach and other comresiliently engaged extension adapted to retain said compression member in resilient engagement with said dies.

3. In a molding machine, a shaft having a removable section, a rotatable carrierv mounted on said shaft, a plurality of dies supported on said carrier, a die-compressing member carried on said section, an oven carried by said section and enclosing said dies, and means for resilient retainin said compressing member engage with sai dies.

4. A molding machine, comprising a baking oven a rotatable carrier. a plunality of dies supported on said carrier for rotation-therewith and arranged within said oven, pressure applying devices for said dies enclosed within said oven, and means without said oven for adjusting the pressure exerted by said devices.

5. A molding press comprising an oven having an enclosed annular heating chamher, a rotatable carrier, a plurality of sets of dies supported on said carrier and arranged wit in said chamber, a roller mountedon one of the dies of each of said sets, a rail arranged in said oven adapted to be engaged by the roller to elevate said die, a second roller mounted on said die, and a resilientlgressed track arranged in said oven and apted to engage said second roller and press said die against its associate. 6. A molding machine, comprising a baking oven, a rotatable carrier, a lurality of dies supported on said carrier or rotation therewith and arranged within said oven, pressure applying devices for said dies enclosed within said oven, and means for simultaneouslyadjusting the pressure exerted by said devices.

7. A molding machine, comprising a bak ing oven, a rotatable carrier, a plurality of cooperating dies supported on said carrier for rotation therewith and arranged tomove into and out of said oven, com ression means adapted to resiliently hold t e cooperating dies together while in the oven and arranged to be released when the dies are without said oven.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Oakland, this th day of March, 1922.

WILLIAM H. THOMPSON. 

